couple garlic pics from this year
Anyone else grow their own garlic?
- Thread starter turbo
- Start date
I gotta share this seasons heart break. Ive grown garlic for 3 seasons i think with pretty good results. 2 seasons ago i read and tried dipping them in 70% isopropyl alcohol just before planting. It helps kill spores on the cloves. Worked fine. Last year i read about using cider vinegar diluted for the same purpose but i think it was a soak overnight. I forget but google should remember. Garlic was from territorial seed who I've used every time as well as some friends used them with no problems.
This season after cider soak heres my plant vs planted number
0/60
so mad, over it but not really
id say don't do this
This season after cider soak heres my plant vs planted number
0/60
so mad, over it but not really
id say don't do this
Garlic-growing guys and gals, mind if I ask a question about vernalization?
I haven't had much luck growing garlic--in the sense that the plants grow perfectly fine, but I always end up (for the last two years I've been trying) with one round clove of garlic that looks like suspiciously like an onion but smells and tastes like garlic.
How long does the plant have to endure a cold period after starting to develop roots to split into multiple cloves? I have been cold treating before planting (=dropped in a corner of the vegetable box and forgotten until I see sprouts popping out).
I haven't had much luck growing garlic--in the sense that the plants grow perfectly fine, but I always end up (for the last two years I've been trying) with one round clove of garlic that looks like suspiciously like an onion but smells and tastes like garlic.
How long does the plant have to endure a cold period after starting to develop roots to split into multiple cloves? I have been cold treating before planting (=dropped in a corner of the vegetable box and forgotten until I see sprouts popping out).
plaisir8 said:
A couple questions: When do you plant your garlic seed? When do you harvest? What did the leaves look like when you picked them? All green? All dry? Half and half? From the sounds of it, the ones you are picking are still very young, maybe 2-3 months away from being ready.
Garlic is a REALLY hardy plant. You really don't need to do anything to prep them for cold weather. Just pop them in dirt in Oct to early Nov depending on where you live. A good rule of thumb is 4 weeks before the first frost. Covering the garlic with mulch will help with keeping them a bit warmer in the winter. I fertilize once in March (or after the winter has thawed off) and that's it. I pick mine with the lower half of the leaves are dried, and probably half of the upper leaves are dried...generally in late June to mid July depending on the variety.
The key to garlic is that they are really hardy and don't need any special treatment. Dirt, time, sun...that's pretty much it.
Thanks for the reply turbo!
I've been planting the garlic in November. The problem is I get mild and cloudy winters (never went below 30 this last winter!), and then equally dreary and cold springs. The garlic keeps growing above ground throughout the whole winter season.
Now the thing is brief heat waves have hit in march/april, after which the leaves started dying off. So I was thinking that it was rather early, but...what choice did I have then to haul em up when they had all died down in about a month?
So...should I have just left them?
I've been planting the garlic in November. The problem is I get mild and cloudy winters (never went below 30 this last winter!), and then equally dreary and cold springs. The garlic keeps growing above ground throughout the whole winter season.
Now the thing is brief heat waves have hit in march/april, after which the leaves started dying off. So I was thinking that it was rather early, but...what choice did I have then to haul em up when they had all died down in about a month?
So...should I have just left them?
Sounds like you have almost the same winter weather as I do here in Seattle. Mild and rain all winter long. My garlic started to pop above ground in mid Dec. It is odd that they dried up that early. It might be because you planted them after they sprouted, but I'm not sure. I do know that April is way way early to harvest if you want cloves. What you might do next year is if the leaves are all brown and dried up that early again, pull one once a week or so and see if they are continuing to mature or not. You can use spring garlic like leeks or really big green onions. Still very tasty.
Also, are you growing hardneck or softneck garlic? Hardneck wont keep as long once harvested, but can handle wet winters way better than softneck garlic can. You might try a few varieties next year, mix and match hardneck and softnecks
Also, are you growing hardneck or softneck garlic? Hardneck wont keep as long once harvested, but can handle wet winters way better than softneck garlic can. You might try a few varieties next year, mix and match hardneck and softnecks
Okay, would have loved to blame it on the weather but guess that's out of the question. If things work for you it should work for me too! Guess I'll try again this year and follow your suggestion depending on how it goes.
Ummm, for more information. I've been planting a purple hardneck variety which is very nice and sweet, but still pungent. You think it might have to do with the fact that I'm planting in containers and the garlic was potted in between peppers that were shaved down to over winter? The ones that went in with the poppy and chives also (mis)behaved in the same way...
Ummm, for more information. I've been planting a purple hardneck variety which is very nice and sweet, but still pungent. You think it might have to do with the fact that I'm planting in containers and the garlic was potted in between peppers that were shaved down to over winter? The ones that went in with the poppy and chives also (mis)behaved in the same way...
hmmm, I've never tried garlic in a container before but two things come to mind. Make sure its at least 12 inches deep (16 would be better), because heard necks tend to have longer roots than soft necks. Also make sure it has awesome drainage. Because of the wet winter weather they might be sitting in too much water. To increase the drainage ability of your soil mix in course sand and/or perlite. It'll keep the soil from getting too hard and dense through the winter, and allow for good drainage.
plaisir how deep are you planting? using the largest cloves? what type of substrate? using any mulch? containers may be getting to warm to quick. I would switch to a softneck variety like thermador, I bet you have much better results. Another thing you could try is vernalization in your freezer if your set on hardneck.
Right, enough space for the roots and good drainage. My container of choice is standard ikea wastebins--12" deep, 12" wide, about 5 gallons in volume. They probably get about 10 and a half inches to spread their feet due to the cushion of pozzolan I have at the bottom. Thanks again for all the tips turbo.turbo said:
Hi Freeport.FreeportBum said:
planting depth: Not too deep, about half an inch to an inch down?
clove size: Naturally the largest cloves go in the soil and the smaller ones have been going down the gut.
substrate: 1.5" pozzolan
mulch: no mulch
Ah,,, good point about container temps. I had a little pilot of saffran this last winter, and those died down prematurely too, about the same time the garlic did. Just waiting to replant the corms.
Okay, so I'll try improving the soil conditions in the container, maybe try mixing in some softnecks (but I really like the taste of this variety). And... Freeport, tell me how I should go about the vernalization. Temp, timing, duration... In the freezer you say? That wouldn't be too harsh?
Those look nice, Turbo!
I pulled mine last Thursday, except for about a dozen.
Mine are all hardnecks, plus a little elephant garlic.
I hung mine in my workshop and put a fan on them. It's been fairly humid lately and they seem to be drying well.
Very few showed any maggot damage or had started to open, but I'm glad I got them out when I did.
Let the toum flow
I pulled mine last Thursday, except for about a dozen.
Mine are all hardnecks, plus a little elephant garlic.
I hung mine in my workshop and put a fan on them. It's been fairly humid lately and they seem to be drying well.
Very few showed any maggot damage or had started to open, but I'm glad I got them out when I did.
Let the toum flow
JJJessee said:Those look nice, Turbo!
I pulled mine last Thursday, except for about a dozen.
Mine are all hardnecks, plus a little elephant garlic.
I hung mine in my workshop and put a fan on them. It's been fairly humid lately and they seem to be drying well.
Very few showed any maggot damage or had started to open, but I'm glad I got them out when I did.
Let the toum flow
Wow...nice harvest!!! I'm thinking about switching to all heardnecks next year. My softnecks didnt grow very well this year
I would put the cloves in something like perlite so they can still grow a few roots- maybe 2 weeks in the refrigerator then maybe 2-3 months in the freezer I would think would do the trick. If you have a good hardneck variety it can and will enjoy the cold. Temps get below 0F here in winter and I use no mulch anymore with better results then when I mulched over winter. If you were in us I would hook you up with some heads to grow. If you try this let us know how it worked.plaisir8 said:
Started to pull the garlic the last few days. Looking really good, very happy with avg. head size.
